NO Rumor- Irvine Company to tear down Woodbridge Village Center

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
I?doubt re-zoning can pass the city council; Woodbridge residents will be furious; more apartments means higher density and traffic issues. Low density housing is what set Woodbridge apart from the newer Irvine villages.

Woodbridge Village Center needs an super anchor store that is a Asian magnet - like 85C in Diamond Jamboree. Too bad SCP beats them to DTF.
 
The California Court Company said:
Woodbridge Village Center needs an super anchor store that is a Asian magnet - like 85C in Diamond Jamboree. Too bad SCP beats them to DTF.
They tried with Assi Market. It didn't take very well.

The problem with Woodbridge is it is probably one of the most diverse villages in Irvine and not just ethnicity but also ages (there is a large senior population on the east side) so it's hard to have an anchor that can service all those demographics.

I actually think a Trader Joe's would be a good anchor but having one in University and another on Walnut (and Woodbury) may be too close.
 
Assi is doomed to fail when it was competing against Zion and H-Mart. There are not that many Koreans in Irvine, especially with JC being a good Irvine alternative.

If anything, I think Shun Fat Supermarket will be a good tenant - Irvine has so much Asian/Chinese population and it can absorb a 3rd grocery store easily.  Shun Fat can be the lower priced alternative to Ranch 99 and drive in a lot of traffic.

irvinehomeowner said:
The California Court Company said:
Woodbridge Village Center needs an super anchor store that is a Asian magnet - like 85C in Diamond Jamboree. Too bad SCP beats them to DTF.
They tried with Assi Market. It didn't take very well.

The problem with Woodbridge is it is probably one of the most diverse villages in Irvine and not just ethnicity but also ages (there is a large senior population on the east side) so it's hard to have an anchor that can service all those demographics.

I actually think a Trader Joe's would be a good anchor but having one in University and another on Walnut (and Woodbury) may be too close.
 
The California Court Company said:
Assi is doomed to fail when it was competing against Zion and H-Mart. There are not that many Koreans in Irvine, especially with JC being a good Irvine alternative.

If anything, I think Shun Fat Supermarket will be a good tenant - Irvine has so much Asian/Chinese population and it can absorb a 3rd grocery store easily.  Shun Fat can be the lower priced alternative to Ranch 99 and drive in a lot of traffic.

irvinehomeowner said:
The California Court Company said:
Woodbridge Village Center needs an super anchor store that is a Asian magnet - like 85C in Diamond Jamboree. Too bad SCP beats them to DTF.
They tried with Assi Market. It didn't take very well.

The problem with Woodbridge is it is probably one of the most diverse villages in Irvine and not just ethnicity but also ages (there is a large senior population on the east side) so it's hard to have an anchor that can service all those demographics.

I actually think a Trader Joe's would be a good anchor but having one in University and another on Walnut (and Woodbury) may be too close.

I like asian supermarkets.. but man.. can't they keep the place a little cleaner?
 
Pedego Irvine said:
Let's fill the place.  Let's make it fun again.

Isn't there enough fun from that Yamaha already? All those Asian kids are figuratively farting rainbows every time they walk in there because they know how huge of an impact music will be on their lives when they become doctors/lawyers/engineers.
 
Irvine needs more tutoring schools, especially with low passing rate of the new common core tests. They should turn the Woodbridge Center into a campus for all the kids academies.
 
Are you kidding? There are already over 350 commercial academies in Irvine. What Irvine need is a florist! The beautiful ladies in this blog deserve flowers not from Costco.

The California Court Company said:
Irvine needs more tutoring schools, especially with low passing rate of the new common core tests. They should turn the Woodbridge Center into a campus for all the kids academies.
 
The California Court Company said:
I?doubt re-zoning can pass the city council; Woodbridge residents will be furious; more apartments means higher density and traffic issues. Low density housing is what set Woodbridge apart from the newer Irvine villages.

Woodbridge Village Center needs an super anchor store that is a Asian magnet - like 85C in Diamond Jamboree. Too bad SCP beats them to DTF.
Like Irvine Company gives a rip about the Woodbridge residence, if they want to do it they will since they got the city in their back pocket anyhow.
 
I still believe it will have to pass the Woodbridge master HOA and given the age profile of Woodbridge... that's a battle not easily won.

I was just in that center over the weekend (we like to use it as a start/end point for biking) and it would be shame to see the place we buy Shave Ice at (Sticky Fingers) have to close/relocate. It just seems like there are too many retailers there that will be affected by this type of action.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
I still believe it will have to pass the Woodbridge master HOA and given the age profile of Woodbridge... that's a battle not easily won.

I was just in that center over the weekend (we like to use it as a start/end point for biking) and it would be shame to see the place we buy Shave Ice at (Sticky Fingers) have to close/relocate. It just seems like there are too many retailers there that will be affected by this type of action.
No worries, Donny and the gang can always pay off and/or get shills elected onto the HOA board.  Where there's a will, there's a way. 
 
I think they should convert the old Steinmart/Assi space in to a cool co-working location - where the many small an home-based business people + startups, etc - could rent space.  This is a wonderful work concept would appeal to any demographic and would give great reason to keep / open up new retail, food and services in the rest of this center and would help our Irvine small businesses thrive.  My employer had a space in WeWork Hollywood for a couple of years and the place had great energy.  For those of you who are not familiar with coworking spaces - here's their site: https://www.wework.com/  They are more modern than old style rent an office space like Regus has done.  These are more relaxed, more collaborative environments.  OC is definitely behind the times in adding this type of work environment, imo and I could see it being perfect as an anchor tenant. 
 
I think they should build out a mega theater.. 50 movies or something.
 
jmoney74 said:
I think they should build out a mega theater.. 50 movies or something.
Screw that man, they should build a Laguna Seca style track with no DB sound limits.  We could use a So Cal track that doesn't get over 100 in the summer. 
 
irvinehomeowner said:
I still believe it will have to pass the Woodbridge master HOA and given the age profile of Woodbridge... that's a battle not easily won.

I was just in that center over the weekend (we like to use it as a start/end point for biking) and it would be shame to see the place we buy Shave Ice at (Sticky Fingers) have to close/relocate. It just seems like there are too many retailers there that will be affected by this type of action.

Woodbridge HOA has to approve what opens in the Woodbridge Village.  Even the $1 theater gets subsidies from the HOA dues to keep it at $1.

A lot of tutoring and extra curricular activities goes on in that center and Woodbridge and Oak Creek parents will have to travel to the CV town center for tutoring if they do shut things down. I see a lot of angry parents protesting before this is all said and done.

I know the WB Village is not a huge business magnet like Diamond Jamboree but it's a very quaint place with a slow paced vibe, very WB feel to it.

I would join the rally to keep it up if someone is willing to pass me a poster.
 
Drat, had I purchased in Woodbridge, I'd submit a proposal for indoor shooting range/gallery at the center...  there's a huge demand for shooting range in Irvine area, but everyone has to drive to other cities to shoot.  An indoor range would be very popular and profitable.
 
Terribly sad for one of the original Villages of Irvine. It would be disappointing to see homes win once again.

People are encouraged to contact The Irvine Company and make suggestions for potential development...hopefully for a redeveloped shopping center and not condos.

The person of contact is: Jennifer Ciccone, 949-720-3138
jciccone@irvinecompany.com
 
Here is my recent blog post on new development and the Woodbridge Village Center:

WOODBRIDGE'S FATE WILL BE DECIDED AT THE BALLOT BOX

Woodbridge residents are gravely concerned that new development will soon add unwanted housing and traffic congestion to Woodbridge and forever change the character of their beautiful community ? without their input or consent.

Here is what the group Friends of WVC (Woodbridge Village Center) recently said in an email: ?Big changes are in the works for the Woodbridge Village Center. The Irvine Company is presently evaluating options to replace the Village Center with either a residential development (most likely condominiums), or with a standard shopping center. Regardless of the option selected, the current Village Center will most likely be destroyed.?

When Woodbridge opened on Father?s Day in 1975, it was Irvine?s premier master planned community, showcasing Irvine?s commitment to creating villages of single family homes and townhouses, with parks, greenbelts, bicycle trails, interconnecting pathways, open space, and neighborhood shopping.

By any measure, Woodbridge has been a fantastic success.

Community spirit has been, and continues to be, tremendously high. Sure, there are a few problems and some things that people would like to see changed or improved.  For example, many people would like to see a new anchor store in the Village Center and new coffee houses and restaurants.

And, like most of Irvine, the WVC could use more ample and more secure bicycle parking, especially since Woodbridge has some of the most used and beautiful bikeways in the City.

But these few problems and suggested minor changes are very small in comparison to the great sense of community belonging and community pride shared by the residents of Woodbridge. Woodbridge remains one of Irvine?s most walkable, bikeable, and beautiful communities.

And, as someone wrote in OC Housing News, ?the Woodbridge Center is an integral part of Irvine, connected to both lakes, Woodbridge high school and walking trails, literally in the center of Irvine.?

After 40 years of success, the people of Woodbridge love their community, and they love their Woodbridge Village Center.

That?s why people are so upset by the prospect that their Village Center will be destroyed and replaced with high density apartments and condos or office buildings

What people may not realize is that the City Council has the full legal power to tell the developer that it can?t do whatever it wants to the Woodbridge Village Center, and specifically that it can?t unilaterally change the fundamental character of the community.

In fact, I believe it is the obligation of the City Council to ensure that the public interest ? in preventing over-crowding, increased crime and congestion, and in preserving the character of our communities ? comes before the private interests of developers, no matter how big and powerful those developers may be.

As another Woodbridge resident put it in OC Housing News, ?Slow the growth. Build with creativity and respect for the Woodbridge neighborhood. The great recession is behind us. Time to dial back to measured growth and masterful planning such as the community was built on.?  I could not agree more.

Unfortunately, the current City Council majority of Mayor Steven Choi, Councilmember Jeffrey Lalloway and Councilmember Christina Shea, see it quite differently.  They want more development, faster development, and denser development.

Recall that this is a City Council majority that has hastily approved an unprecedented 10,000 additional new houses and apartments in Irvine (bringing along an additional 20,000-30,000 new cars and 30,000-50,000 new people), jamming our traffic and overcrowding our schools.

If the current City Council majority is retained ? if Mayor Steven Choi and Councilmember Jeffrey Lalloway are relected ? nothing will stop developers from doing whatever the developers want to do, in Woodbridge and throughout the City.

In contrast, I pledge that when I am elected to the City Council I will use the full legal authority of the Council to prevent runaway development, to demand that the voices of Irvine?s residents be heard before any new development is approved, and to ensure that no new condos, office buildings or housing tracts will be permitted without proper planning and consideration of their impact on our traffic, our schools, and the character of our communities.

The fate of the Woodbridge Village Center ? and Woodbridge?s survival as a family oriented community with a relaxed village atmosphere ? will be decided this November, at the ballot box.
http://melissafoxblog.com/2014/09/10/woodbridges-fate-will-be-decided-at-the-ballot-box/
 
Back
Top